Wells next the Sea Town Sign

You'll find the town sign standing guard at the entrance to Wells-next-the-Sea, a proper Norfolk coastal gem that's far more than just a photo opportunity. It's the sort of thing locals walk past without thinking, but visitors tend to stop dead in their tracks because it captures something real about this working port town - unpretentious, characterful, absolutely no nonsense.

The sign itself is modest in scale but tells you everything about why people come here. It marks the boundary between the wider world and a place where fishing boats still work the quay, where the beach stretches wide at low tide, and where you can still grab decent fish and chips without the tourist markup. Unlike the Instagram-bait attractions that clutter the Norfolk coast, this isn't trying to be anything other than what it is.

It works best as part of a longer wander through the town itself - the sign gives you a reason to pause and take in the surroundings. You're looking at the gateway to a walk down to the quay, the lifeboat station, and the whole atmospheric sprawl of a genuine working harbour. Give it five minutes rather than a flying visit.

Staying at Pinewoods Holiday Park just a mile down the road puts you perfectly placed for exploring Wells and the wider Norfolk coast without the fuss of a busy seaside resort. The Norfolk Brickyard over in Mundesley offers a completely different vibe if you want to mix coastal exploring with something more quirky.